Why We Love Dogs

The True Love to our Little Buddies

The question of why we love dogs is an interesting one that scholars have been thinking about and studying for years (maybe even centuries). It’s largely a philosophical question whose answer involves the science of psychology and, possibly, anthropology. And, unfortunately, the best answer that the experts have found to date may not be the most romantic or fulfilling. In fact, it might be downright disappointing. But it doesn’t have to be.

The consensus among scientists and philosophers alike appears to be that we love dogs because, simply, they love us back – or at least they appear to love us back.

What exactly goes on in the minds of dogs may never be fully understood by mankind, but experts say that the appearance of love, as humans know it anyway, may just be a canine ruse. Dogs (along with cats and other animals commonly kept as pets) make up an animal category that some scholars call “social parasites.” These animals are able to mimic various social attributes of humans and, thus, fool people into developing “love” for them. They’ve have learned, as a species over the centuries, humans will typically meet all of their basic needs (food and shelter) if they simply behave as if they love their owners.

That’s why we don’t necessarily love raccoons, squirrels, or rats. These animals are not social parasites. They can live independently of humans and, therefore, do not have to show love to humans in order to get by.

Dogs, meanwhile, have a natural ability to do things – like greet us excitedly at the door, jump happily into our laps, or curl up next to us in bed – that endear us to them. And we naturally interpret those behaviors as love because, well, that’s just what they mean to humans.

But scholars realize that dogs are not human, so they point out the unfortunate reality: it may be fun to assume that dogs really love us, but “love” from a dog is probably all just an act that dogs of all breeds have learned how to perform over the centuries.

Disappointing as that reality may be, it doesn’t stop even those who study this topic professionally from loving dogs just the same.

Love, philosophers and psychologists tell us, is more about the individual who experiences it than anything else. If a person, animal, or even thing, makes us feel loved then, well, that’s love. And people will generally do what they can to encourage behaviors that make them feel loved.

So that’s why we love dogs. They do things – whether intentional or not is debatable – to make us feel loved. And we love them for it in return.